The Nutcracker
by Akatsume
Summary: Hinata recieves a strange doll for christmas from her Uncle Hizashi... [GaaHina] Rated for safety and violence.
1. Christmas Party: Hizashi's Gift

No own no sue!

Neji is Hinata's brother in this one, and Hizashi is still alive.

The Nutcracker

"Merry Christmas, Hizashi-san." whispered Hinata in her timid voice. Her uncle smiled down at her.

"Please…call me 'Uncle Hizashi,'" He asked politely. Though he was very nice to her and her family, Uncle Hizashi could be rather…'eccentric'…at times. He was one of her favorite relatives for that reason, however. He was a skilled toy and clock maker. She enjoyed his quirky nature; she also enjoyed his soft demeanor that was not unlike her own.

"Hizashi-san, what on earth kind of nonsense are you teaching my daughter now!" said her father irritably. Hizashi rolled his eyes and winked at her, causing her to giggle.

"I'm teaching her all kinds of nonsense, dear brother." He replied sarcastically.

"By the way…" he said to Hinata, lowering his voice. "I have a very special present to give to you after the party. I think you'll like him very much."

'_Him?'_ thought Hinata. Hizashi realized his mistake. With a fake gasp he slapped his hands to his cheeks in mock distress. "Oh dear! I've said too much…" He said melodramatically. Hinata laughed shyly behind her hand. Hizashi mussed her hair playfully and walked into the kitchen.

"Hinata…" She turned to the stoic face of her sister Hanabi. "I don't think he's a very good influence on you…" Hinata shook her head and refused to answer for a moment.

"You just don't like him…" She mumbled. Hanabi rolled her eyes and took a seat in Hizashi's living room. It was a family tradition to have Christmas at Uncle Hizashi's house. He enjoyed collecting odd trinkets that usually served to line the walls within glass cases. She walked slowly, observing the strange statues and dolls inside. Others thought they were weird; she thought they were beautiful. She envied the pretty lace and patterns adorning the dolls clothing until she was called to the living room for the festivities.

0oOo0

"Mina! Gather round!" called Hizashi. "It's time to reveal another invention of mine!" Hinata sat with the others curiously. Her uncle always made some interesting mechanical things for Christmas. He smiled gleefully again. Two large, man-sized _somethings_ were covered in cloth next to him. Whipping away the cloth, he revealed two life-sized dolls, which soon after began to dance. Everyone laughed and cheered as they spun and danced.

After being stuffed full of food like the turkey she had eaten, she began a slow descent up the stairs.

"Hinata-chan." She turned. Uncle Hizashi held something behind his back. Her present.

"Uncle Hizashi…?" he smiled gleefully and took a small, carved doll from behind his back. She observed it before taking it gently from his hands. It would seem creepy looking to other people, but she thought he looked rather handsome. Dark rings circled deep emerald eyes. Fiery red hair draped messily over his head. She noticed one more strange thing: A small kanji was carved into his wooden forehead. Love. She felt strange being in front of the dolls scrutinizing gaze.

"Oh, I forgot his Sword…" Hizashi disappeared momentarily before returning with a scabbard. He attached the miniature sword to the doll's belt. "There. His name is Gaara."

"Gaara…" repeated Hinata slowly. A small smile graced her face. "Arigatou, Hizashi!" She hugged his waist quickly before running upstairs with her new prize.

0oOo0

"Hanabi-chan, look!" She held the doll out carefully for her sister to see.

"What is that ugly thing?" Asked Hanabi with a sneer.

"He's not ugly!" said Hinata, holding Gaara protectively to her chest. Hanabi snickered.

"First of all, It is an 'It', not a 'He'. Second, it is too ugly! Migurushii!" Hanabi snatched the doll from her sister. "Migurushii! Migurushii!" she called, prancing around her sister and holding the doll by the hair. She heard a sickening cracking sound and horror spread over Hinata's features.

"No! Stop it!" Hinata snatched her treasure back, again holding him protectively on her chest. Hanabi snickered and walked casually out of the room.

"Doushite, Hanabi…" She looked apologetically at Gaara. Uncle Hizashi, upon hearing the commotion, walked into the room quietly.

"Is everything okay?" He asked gently. Hinata shook her head, tears threatening to spill over.

"H-hanabi…" She held the broken doll out carefully towards her Uncle. He observed Gaara closely before smiling.

"It's not so bad! He'll be easy to fix!" Hinata smiled at him.

"Honto ni?" Hizashi nodded. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he tossed the cloth over Gaara's head. Hinata watched closely as Gaara emerged from the blue cloth as good as new. Overjoyed, she hugged her uncle again before he left.

"I don't think you're ugly." She said, sitting on the bed and stroking his hair. "In fact, you're quite handsome, Gaara!" She smiled at him. His grim features looked back up at her.

"I wish you could talk to me…" she said to him. Taking a quick glance at the clock, she set him down on a shelf in her guest room. "Well…Goodnight…" she felt shy about changing into her nightclothes under his grim stare, so she turned him around temporarily while she pulled on her pajama shorts and a tank top. She crawled into bed, but something still bugged her. She felt foolish doing so, but she picked up the doll and brought him under the covers wrapped in her arms. She was able to fall asleep after.

Rather short chapter, I know. I needed to see how this would work out. Hope you all like it!


	2. The Nutcracker Awakens! Defeat the King!

Nutcracker

_Bong…Bong…Bong…_ The eleventh hour had come. Gaara waited patiently in the girl's arms. _'Almost there…'_ He thanked Kami-sama that his sword had not been forgotten. But what of this girl? Hinata, was it? Why did she say he was… handsome? He had never considered himself to be a 'looker'. His job would soon be done, however. Just a bit longer…

0oOo0

_Bong…Bong…Bong…_ Gaara's ears perked up. The twelfth hour had come. It was only on the third chime of the clock. _Bong… _Four. _Bong…_ Five. _Bong…_ Six. His anxiousness grew with each resonating sound. _Bong…_ Seven. _Bong…_ Eight. Oh god, please hurry up! He had been waiting to move since last Christmas! _Bong…_ Ten. _Bong…_ Eleven. There was a sickening pause; time seemed to slow as he anticipated the final chime. **_Bong…_** It was louder than the rest; that was a good sign. Taking advantage of his newfound ability to move, he crawled and struggled out of the sleeping girl's grip. _Damn, she's strong!_ Never mind the fact that she was around ten times as big as him! He finally forced his way out of her arms. Observing the surroundings, he watched carefully for any sign of the King. His hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at a moments notice. _Clatter…_ His head snapped towards the door. What was that…? _Crash Bang…_ It was the Snake King for sure. He leapt of the night table and landed safely on the floor. Despite his size, his great athletic ability helped him in his massive environment. He turned his dark-rimmed eyes to the open door.

'_Gaara…san…'_ Sleep talking? Gaara's ears focused on the sleeping girl behind him. '_Where are you…?'_ Despite himself, he felt guilty leaving Hinata alone. Wincing in fear of his own foolishness, he spoke.

"I'll… I'll be back soon, Hinata…chan?" What suffix would he use, if any? She seemed content with his answer and curled up under the sheets. Gaara sighed in relief. Now for the King.

0oOo0

Hinata felt she was lacking something. Gaara. Where was he? Didn't she fall asleep holding him?

"Gaara…san…" She said sleepily. "Where are you…"? She wasn't expecting an answer from a doll, but it seemed to make a mild form of sense when she got one.

"I'll… I'll be back soon, Hinata…chan?" She smiled in amusement. 'Chan' would do fine. She curled up comfortably. _Crash bang…cling, cling…_ Her eyes closed harder to try and drown out the strange noises. It sounded like… sword fighting? What is going on down there? Reluctantly, she pulled off her covers and walked drearily down the stairs. The first thing she saw was the tree. The second thing she saw was a bit more unusual.

"Hssssssss…Orochimaru-sama shall prevail this year!" A rather small and pathetic blue snake coiled up In the middle of the room. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. Who would ever fear _this_? Then she saw whom "Orochimaru-sama" was talking to.

"I think not. You shall never take over this world with that size, dear snake." As she peered over the coffee table, she saw her little doll, Gaara! He brandished his sword bravely against the snake, which was actually larger than him. The snake coiled dangerously. Horror spread across both her and Gaara's features. With one last hiss, he launched himself at Gaara. Hinata panicked. What could she do? Moving quickly, she clutched the snake's tail firmly, causing him to utter a comical choking sound when he was pulled back. She gripped the snake by the neck.

"Why would you attack Gaara-san?" she said, glaring a bit at it. The snake thrashed in her grip while Gaara looked on, amazed. "You know, that's not very nice…" Wait. Was that snake bitch getting bigger? Everything else seemed to be getting bigger, too. Uh-oh… Hinata shrieked as she dropped the snake in surprise. Why was she shrinking? Soon, the snake towered over her; she was no bigger than Gaara.

"Why the hell would you risk yourself like that?!" Hinata winced at Gaara's words.

"G-gomen nasai…" Gaara's features melted from concerned anger to sympathy.

"Never mind that. We have a bigger problem. Uh… Scratch that. A Growing-bigger-by-the-second problem."

Hinata's silvery gaze turned to the even more enormous snake.

"Shit." Gaara muttered as he leapt forward again.

Hinata marveled at the skill he possessed. Swiftly dodging a blow from the snakes tail, he called to her.

"Don't just stand there! Make yourself useful for Kami's sake!"

She began to panic slightly. What could she do? Hinata looked down in shame, only to be inspired. It was simple, but it might give Gaara an edge. She pulled off her soft slipper, gripping it hopefully. With a yell, she hurled the slipper at her foe.

"Take that Hebi-teme!"

Hinata shut her eyes tight in fear. Would he attack her now?

"Holy shit…"

She reeled back in surprise. She killed that gigantic snake with a soft slipper? Whatever works… Gaara stared back at her in surprise.

"That was amazing."

She flushed.

"Thank you…"

"No, Thank **you.** Come with me."

Curious, she followed the young man.

"Hurry up. Hayaku!"

He didn't sound angry, simply ecstatic.

Pushing aside a particular branch of the tree, he ducked under and vanished.

"Eh? G-Gaara…?"

Hinata did the same, and the sight that greeted her stunned her beyond words.

0oOo0

I think we all know whats coming next : ) AN: Hebi-teme - snake bastard

Migurushii - ugly or unsightly


	3. Hallucination

Finally! I'm sorry, I know it's been awhile, but at last, here we go. (No own no sue)

Nutcracker

Hinata's eyes opened lazily. Was she really where she thought she was? Were the events of last night more than a figment of her imagination? As she gazed upon her surroundings, her eyes widened. The answer was no.

She was back in her room, right where she started. Except… her doll was missing. The handsome little nutcracker doll was gone! Hinata moaned in frustration.

"God, no!" she cried, falling back onto her uncles guest bed. "Where could he have gone…" she exclaimed miserably.

"Who? Is Hina-chan talking to herself again? I always knew you were weird like me…"

Although she couldn't see his smile, she knew that it was there: right on her uncle's face.

"Oyaho…" She smiled sadly at him, tears still running down her pale cheeks.

"Ne, what's the matter, Hina? It isn't like you to be gloomy on the day before Christmas morning… c'mon, you tellin' me that for once, my happiness isn't _infecting_ you?"

He made a wiggly motion with his hands as he emphasized the word 'infecting'; Hinata laughed.

"Oh, its just that… the doll you gave me yesterday is gone. And I really, really liked it, too. It was my favorite gift…"she looked down in shame.

"Do you mean Clara? That little princess doll I gave you? You really liked it last night, you were ecstatic-"

"Clara? No, it was a little soldier doll,"-here she made a gesture to represent his height- "about yea high, red hair, green eyes, and a tiny little sword?"

Hizashi shook his head.

"Not ringing any bells… you sure you didn't dream it? Cause' I gave you this-"

He picked up a minute pink dolly from her nightstand. It resembled a medieval Barbie. Hinata's innards writhed in disgust at the sheer amount of lace and preppy pink.

"O-oh. Uh, never mind, that's it." She smiled sheepishly and gingerly accepted the dolly. "Arigatou, again."

Her uncle smiled and left the room, stating the time at which breakfast was to be served.

Hinata began to glare slightly into the dolly's hand-painted baby blue eyes. She would've simply tossed the dolly aside, but she didn't have the heart to release a gift from her uncle that disrespectfully. Her gaze reached the calendar as she set the dolly down. Hinata's eyes narrowed in confusion. Wasn't today supposed to be Christmas morning? The last red X on the calendar was right on Christmas Eve, and the only red circle was on the very next numbered square. Hadn't she acquired the nutcracker on this day… yesterday?

"Uuuuh, my head hurts… OK, I got Gaara on Christmas Eve right after dinner. But today is Christmas Eve and it's only morning. Yikes, what's happening?"

She crawled out of bed, not noticing the tiny wind up mouse peeking out from under her bed.

"Uncle! I'm here for breakfast!"

"Yay! Mina-chan's m'yah!" Hizashi called out in a muffled voice.

"Dearest Brother, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't teach my children such bad manners by _talking with your** mouth full.**_"

Hinata chuckled. Hizashi's inner child was displaying itself shamelessly again. She gathered a plate and began eating.

0oOo0

That night, after dinner, she eagerly awaited the gift of Gaara. Hizashi only winked at her, a reminder of her early gift: the preppy Barbie thing… Her heart seemed to flatten. She went to bed early.

0oOo0

"Hinata! Hinata! Hello?"

She snapped back to… reality? Where was she? Last Hinata had checked, she had gone to bed early out of depression. The scene that awaited her was simply breathtaking. Glorious mountain ranges curved through the land, and a field of strange beautiful flowers spread out before her. It reminded her of her favorite movie,_ Sound Of Music._ Hizashi had shown it to her when she was little. The whole scene just made her want to sing and spin like the girl in the movie. She restrained herself, though, and settled for embracing Gaara in joy. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh, Gaara, it's beautiful! I love it here!"

"Wh-well that's great, but would you mind unhanding me?"

Hinata blushed deeply and stepped back.

"One thing though, before we go on."

Her gaze snapped back up to him.

"Hai?"

His face turned very serious.

"If you eat or drink **anything,** then that food or drink will not be able to leave this land. Therefore, if it is in you, you will not be able to leave. Do you understand?"

"Oh, I never want to leave!"

He smiled slightly.

"Then, when we get to my land, I have a favor to ask of you."

She nodded happily.

'_That moment.. when she spaced out... she might have too many attachments to stay here after all... This must be the land's effect on an unfamiliar body...'_

He stepped before her and offered his hand. As soon as her skin made contact, he leapt into the air, Hinata in tow.

"You can fly?!"

"No, I can merely jump a great distance. You'll find soon enough that you possess the same ability." Upon speaking these words, his hand left hers. She cried out as the feeling of weightlessness gripped her.

"Now, jump!"

His distant words caused her courage to flow, and she pushed off as soon as her feet touched the ground. She began an unsteady but quick pace beside him.

"Why did you let me go?"

"Because you needed to learn on your own. Some things must be learned like this."

She didn't question him further. After some time, she reached out and grasped his hand quickly. His questioning look caused her cheeks to burn.

"You don't need my help anymore, so-"

"I-I know. I just… want to."

He looked straight ahead of them, sinking into the awkward silence.

"My home is near." He said, mostly to break the tension.

0oOo0

Kyaaaaaa! So cute!


	4. The Palace

No own no sue.

Nutcracker

"Haaaaa! Gaara, sugoi!" Hinata's head was inclined to the ceiling, her glistening silver eyes absorbing the graceful ivory arches of the palace ceiling. Her face sparkled like the sun itself; she was the epitome of happiness at the moment. Gaara hung back, catching reflections of her happiness in the polished marble floor.

"Hinata. There is one thing I must do first. Will you sit?"

He ushered her over to an ivory bench; engraved maple leaves flourished around the base. Peering around in a suspicious manor, he left her with this advice:

"If a tall man with brown hair comes to talk, tell him that you are waiting for me."

Hinata nodded, although very confused. Gaara's robe swirled unintentionally (1) as he ascended one of the five swirling staircases at the end of the hall. She took a moment to sink into this world of silence and beauty.

Everything was white: the ceiling, the floor, the walls, ect., except for the few dashes of blood red from the carpet and tapestries. There were other benches lining the main corridor, all had the same flourishing pattern. The room was illumined warmly by several stained glass windows, and althought the had patterns on them, the only color was milky white. Several statues of mythical creatures, done in polished marble, had been placed at the end of the silver railings of the stairs, and a few were placed adjacent to the benches. Hinata's eyes came to rest on a statue next to her seat; it resembled a kind of Pegasus, but with a lion's mane and the cloven hoofs of a deer. It seemed to be rearing up in defense. Her eyes met the hollow eyes of the Pegasus, and she followed its gaze.

'Well, that makes sense.' She thought, eyeing the statue that the Pegasus had set its eyes on. A muscled silver beast, his nose wrinkled upward to expose sharp fangs, was crouched low in attack position. Its fur was short, and the lean physique was exposed. She squinted to see the light pattern of the fur; it appeared to be striped.

'Like a tiger.' She mused. Hinata made a note to ask Gaara about these creatures later.

Footsteps caught her ear. She looked up, expecting to find Gaara.

"Hello, my beauty! I am Kankurou, your resident Kugutsu-danaa and Kabuki artist! May I ask your name?"

Hinata was stunned by this grand entrance, but managed to stammer her name softly.

"Hmm? Hinata? Oh! A lovely name indeed! If I remember correctly, it means 'in the sun'… ah, such a fitting name! Ahan!" He grinned widely upon her, causing her hands to clench firmly the navy blue pajama shorts that she had neglected to change out of the night before. She grimaced momentarily at her single slipper. The other one was still gone… she had thrown it at the snake thing. Hinata would have to ask Gaara about that too.

"So," he began. "If you don't mind me asking, what is your business here, Hina-chaaaaaan?"

"Ano, I'm waiting for Gaara…"

Kankurou's pale green eyes lit up.

"Gaara? Ore no ototou ga? Honto ni? (2)"

Hinata nodded slowly.

"So, you must have been our lucky little curse-breaker, eh? That changes things. I promise I won't lay a finger on you, sweets. You're Gaara's girl now-"

"Kan! Goddammit! Not a word! Urusai! (3)"

Hinata's gaze turned to an angry brunette at the top of the stairwell.

"Maaa, Tenten, I just-"

"Not a word!"

She slid down the banister in a very unlady-like fashion. Upon reaching the bottom and jumping off, she straightened her pink Chinese style shirt and black pants. Her hair was done up in messy but cute buns. Her honey eyes sparkled at Hinata as she flashed a reassuring smile. Escorting the puppet master out of the room by the ear, she returned to Hinata.

"Sorry about him. He's Gaara's older brother. A bit of an ass, though. I'm Tenten, by the way. Are you Hinata?"

She nodded mutely, though feeling more comfortable around Tenten than Kankurou.

"Boy, news spreads quick around here." She glanced at Hinata's single slipper and pajamas. "You want some real clothes?"

Hinata chuckled. She could like it here.

0oOo0

Ya, im throwing a little Nejiten in there later.

1) His kazekage man-skirt thinger. i didn't know what to call it...

Gaara no outotou Gaara, my brother

Honto ni truly, really

Urusai noisy


	5. The Library

No own no sue

Nutcracker

The spiral of steps stretched before her, glinting in the creamy glow of stained glass. A solitary broad stripe of scarlet runner cascaded down the stairway, like a river of blood. Tenten's voice echoed down to her from above. Her buns poked over the railing, followed by the rest of her head. She grinned at the silver-eyed girl, her hand sweeping upward, indicating Hinata to ascend. Hinata smiled shyly up at her, a pale hand grasping the rails.

"You should wait in the library. I'll tell Gaara where you are."

As Hinata's foot left the final step, a large hall came into view. The floor beneath her feet was white marble, like the rest of the palace, and more mythical statues lined the walls. Normally, She would've seen crimson tapestries donning the walls, but instead, ten large bookshelves of beautiful dark wood stood in their place. Filling those shelves were millions of books in all forms. A window had been inset at the opposite end of the room, causing that wall and its twin to have only two bookshelves set against them. Each of the remaining two walls had three shelves. Several ladders leaning elegantly upon the stained wood, rollers set at the bottom for easy access. Finally, a rough circle of plush chairs had been situated it the center of this hall, surrounding a lengthy table. They alternated burgundy and white.

Hinata took several slow, awestruck steps into the hall.

"You wait here, then. I'll be back to show you your room and clothes!" Tenten giggled.

Hinata scanned the lower shelves, looking for anything regarding native animals. She finally picked a book and sat down. It was a small pamphlet entitled 'About'. She opened it gingerly and read the first paragraph.

The Leaf and Sand National Library includes various historical works as well as many fictional classics. Our vast inventory also incorporates information on the geography of the area and species, both rare and common. This information can be found in the northern most shelf, to the right of the window. Fictional works are located by the door, and historical documentation…

Hinata shut the pamphlet and placed it back carefully. Her gaze turned to the bookshelf by the window.

'_Animals, animals… let's see…'_ she thought, running a finger along the shelf. A large red book caught her eye. The gold lettering on the spine read sternly 'Official Dictionary Of Organisms Worldwide'. She pulled it out with some difficulty, considering the size of the book. She flipped to the table of contents.

'_Let's see… Animalia… Chordata… Vertebrata…Mammailia …__Perissodactyla__…Equidae… There! Equidae Equus… The common Pegasus!' _

She scanned the illustration for similarity. It looked about the same. She began reading the descritpion.

_The common Pegasus was given its name when it actually was common, in ancient times. Now, this graceful animal is rarely seen, and is thought to have only 25 of its species left… It is commonly hunted by _Panthera Tigris. See Panthera Tigris on Page 3297…

She turned the thin pages gently to the indicated page number. Once again, the picture matched the statue. But this time, new information concerning the species relationship struck her.

Panthera Tigris and Equidae Equus are ancient enemies, and thought to embody two gods in an old power struggle for the world…

As she read on, her eyes began to droop. The milky glow of the palace dimmed to an orange. Everything darkened as she read the final sentence: _This power struggle was between two immortal deities, Shukaku the Tanuki, god of shadows, and Hinata the wise, goddess of light and wisdom, treasured for her silver eyes. _

0oOo0

She awoke in soft, yet warm darkness. Her hands nervously felt their way around, divining the secrets of her location. A smooth fabric was their discovery. She was on a bed… a very nice bed. Hinata rolled over slightly to test the size. She completed two full rotations before she felt the hard ground.

"Oof! Itai…(1)"

A chuckle met her ears.

"Smooth. You fell asleep in the library. Curious about zoology are we?"

"Who are you!?" She cried, frightened by this sudden intrusion.

"You know me, silly. I'm Gaara. Tenten led you to the library yesterday. She left you some new clothes at the foot of the bed. And in case your wondering whose bed you're on, it's mine. Just so you're not surprised."

She heard the mattress shift as he sat up. A moment later, the lights flickered on. Her hands instinctively moved above her head to shield from the light. Hinata tented her legs to block the light further. She groaned at him for such a sudden change.

"I-I'll come back when you're done changing." Gaara gulped, quickly exiting the room.

Hinata waited for her eyes to refocus before she moved. Groggily pulling on the black sundress that Tenten had laid out for her, she observed the room.

Scarlet tapestries coated the walls entirely; the white beneath was not visible. There was one solitary window, but red velvet curtains blocked the view. The bed that she had fallen from was very high, and a large crimson comforter lay limply across the top, though slightly disheveled from her lying upon it. The floor beneath her feet was an intricately woven plush rug, and orange maple leaves graced the pattern.

Hinata inhaled deeply to clear her mind. This whole situation was simply marvelous! No longer would she have to deal with her stern immediate family, though she would miss her uncle, and Neji, too. Neji was very special to her. Although in public he was as stern as her father, at home (but not in front of Hiashi) he was kind, and even smiled sometimes. Neji had taught her the family fighting style, though he father expressly forbid her from learning it. He believed that girls shouldn't fight.

Sighing deeply to banish her thoughts, she ran her finger through her short midnight blue locks.

0oOo0

Gaara was clearly disturbed with himself. How could he have thought about her like that?

'_Then again… Her curvaceous form, all stretched out on the floor… Her arms above her head… a slight blush on her cheeks… oh, god why did her already short pajama shorts have to become just that much shorter… and her tank top had to bunch up around her chest… oh help me…'_ He thought. This was definitely new to him. Did she even realize how much she weakened his stern visage?

'_At least I rid myself of that cumbersome and ineffective weapon… Finally, I have my gourd.'_ His eyes turned to the weight upon his shoulder. Although uncomfortable at first, it had grown to become a symbol of safety. His back felt rather cold without it. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself for the low-cut black sundress that Tenten had laid out for her.

He flinched as his bedroom door creaked open hesitantly. Hinata crept out apprehensively, a sheepish smile on her face.

"D-do I look… okay?"

Gaara breathed deeply to avoid suffocation; his chest felt tight. She was absolutely gorgeous! It was a fairly low-necked black spaghetti strap that hung nicely on her hips. The hem reached just above her knees, and the neckline caused her already well-endowed chest to be accentuated. Gaara closed his eyes calmly and tried to control the blood rushing to his face. A moment later, his dark eyes opened again, a sincere hint of awe swirling within.

"You… definitely look 'okay'." He chuckled, "I'd go for a stronger adjective, however."

He stepped closer, grasping her hand. Placing a delicate kiss on the back of her hand, his lips moved to her ear.

"I would say 'beautiful'." He breathed.

She shivered at his closeness and the hot breath sweeping across her ear. Damn these 16-year-old hormones!

0oOo0

yay! Remember now, they ARE right outside his room ; ) (im so proud, i actually wrote more than two pages lol)

p.s. little vote for future chapter, lemon or no?


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